1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image processing device that enlarges or reduces image data according to the resolution of a printer, to an image processing system, and to a printing method.
2. Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Appl. Pub. JP-A-2003-251863 discloses technology for solving problems related to replacing a printer with a printer having a different print resolution (pixel density). JP-A-2003-251863 relates to a printer with a function for analyzing a barcode print command sent from a host device and producing a barcode image, and prevents shrinking or stretching the barcode due to differences in printer engine characteristics, resolution, and paper feed direction, for example, by enabling the operator to input a barcode scaling (enlargement/reduction) ratio.
However, the host (application) may send image data for a barcode symbol instead of sending a barcode print command in order to print a barcode. If in this event the print resolution anticipated by the host and the resolution of the printer differ (because the printer was replaced, for example), the barcode may be enlarged or reduced by the printer driver or the printer, possibly resulting in distortion of the barcode image and being unable to read the barcode normally with a barcode reader. For example, if a 300 dpi barcode image is printed on a 360 dpi printer and the image width is adjusted according to the paper, barcode precision drops by the process of enlarging the image data from 300 dpi to 360 dpi. If the image is printed without adjusting the image width, the spacing between the bars will be distorted because the dot size differs. Substituting a printer with a different resolution also affects the print quality of text (characters) as well as barcode images.
This problem can be solved by modifying the application to generate image data with barcode or text information matching the printer resolution, but changing the application is expensive and therefore not a practical solution.